The ultimate goal of nursing is to ensure every patient receives timely and quality health care. Nurses and medical practitioners must be aware of the best strategies that have the potential to support the diverse needs of many patients. Several concepts and theories have been proposed to guide nurses whenever providing medical support to their respective patients.
For instance, Dr. Watson’s caring theory presents powerful approaches and methods that can be used by healthcare workers to deliver adequate care to their respective clients (Ozan, Okumus, & Lash, 2015). Nurses must also work tirelessly to create suitable working environments in an attempt to produce positive health results (Ferguson & Cioffi, 2013). This paper uses Dr. Watson’s model to propose the best strategies for creating safe systems for nurses. The paper goes further to outline the best methods, standards, culture of safety principles, and performance measures that can result in safe working environments for nurses.
Creating Safe Systems for Nurses
Nurses have a huge responsibility if the changing needs of both underserved populations and patients are to be addressed in a professional manner. The first responsibility is being able to offer mutual support to one another. This practice is appropriate for creating the best working environment (Morath, 2011). Caregivers should also consider certain guidelines, principles, and practices that can empower their workmates. The guidelines presented below can be used by healthcare institutions that want to create safe systems for their healthcare workers.
Nursing Contributions to CQI
Healthcare practitioners should understand the benefits of the continuous quality improvement (CQI) concept. This theory-based model focuses on specific practices that have the potential to produce noticeable results. In order to improve the quality of care, nurses should use timely data and focus on long-term results (Morath, 2011). They should also design a client-centered concept whenever providing care to their patients. Medical workers should also gather and analyze feedback from different stakeholders.
Weaknesses and malpractices must be addressed in a professional manner. By so doing, the targeted working environment will be characterized by positive management practices (Ferguson & Cioffi, 2013). Leadership is also critical whenever planning to empower more nurses in a specific working environment. Such leaders should monitor and review the progress recorded by different followers. Every member of staff must be allowed to participate in various decision-making processes. The CQI concept also encourages nurse managers (NMs) to monitor the progress of every practitioner. This approach will ensure the most desirable practices are developed in the targeted healthcare institution.
Nursing teams should also be aware of every code of ethics embraced in medical practice. For instance, nursing should be ready to deliver quality care to patients from diverse backgrounds. They should also “put the interests of their clients first” (Kalisch & Lee, 2010, p. 236). Nurses planning to create favorable working environments should refuse to participate in various activities that can affect the quality of care.
The strategy will make it easier for the medical workers to support one another, share ideas, focus on the best results, and promote enviable healthcare approaches. The workers will also have respect for people’s rights. Such privileges include “right to dignity and life” (Morath, 2011, p. 6). By so doing, the targeted workers will engage in the most desirable practices in order to support the health needs of their patients.
Nursing Care of Self (Dr. Watson’s Caring Theory)
Dr. Watson’s model has been used widely by healthcare institutions to support the CQI concept. This concept is also supported by specific initiatives that make it possible for nurses to achieve their potentials (Lukose, 2011). The model promotes a powerful relationship that is founded on dignity, love, and compassion. Nurses who use the theory find it easier to develop positive work ethics characterized by moral commitment and desire to enhance dignity (Morath, 2011).
Caring should be integrated into every level of nursing practice. Dr. Jean Watson’s theory argues that all nurses should be guided by the idea of caring (Lukose, 2011). This idea will make it possible for them to form cohesive teams that are characterized by continued collaboration and communication. The caring theory postulates various concepts that ensure nurses consider the needs of their workmates and clients. The targeted nurses will also embrace the best values such as empathy, sympathy, compassion, and love. They will promote such human values in an attempt to create the best working environments. Safety will also become a topmost priority. Unsafe practices and ethical principles will also be analyzed (Lukose, 2011).
The model also supports the idea of accountability. The theory encourages nurses to be accountable for the welfare of their fellow workmates and clients. They should also promote the best practices that can result in inadequate care. The concept of evidence-based practice is also supported by Dr. Watson’s caring theory. The theory encourages caregivers to improve the quality of healthcare (Lachman, 2012). The practitioners work hard to increase the level of patient safety.
Suggestions
Certain concepts can be used to create the best working environment for nurses. The first suggestion entails the use of teamwork, interdisciplinary communication, ethical principles, and human factors. Nurses working as a team will solve their problems in a timely manner and engage in meaningful conversations (Kalisch & Lee, 2010).
Such nurses will also empower one another, focus on tangible results, and address every challenge. The team members will also collaborate in order to targeted patients to get timely care. The other core concept is interdisciplinary communication. Nurses working in different health disciplines will work together and communicate whenever providing care to their clients (Lachman, 2012). This kind of communication will foster collaboration, address problems, and minimize conflicts.
The second suggestion focuses on specific practices such as accountability, the use of evidence-based plans based on trend analysis, and the ability to quantify the impact on safety and care. Nurses should always be accountable and responsible (Ferguson & Cioffi, 2013). They should be aware of the major codes of ethics, principles, and responsibilities that define their professions. They should consider the relevance of evidence-based plans. Such workers must work together in order to improve the level of patient safety.
The other suggestion is the ability to analyze information about quality initiatives. For instance, nurses working in teams can embrace the power of evidence-based information. Modern informatics can also be used to produce new ideas and concepts (Lachman, 2012). Such ideas will eventually make it easier for more health institutions to offer quality medical support to their patients. The workers should also recognize individuals and inter-professional healthcare teams. The teams must be empowered in order to improve the health outcomes of more patients.
The next suggestion promotes some of the best practices in a nursing environment (Ferguson & Cioffi, 2013). Medical practitioners are required to report errors whenever they occur. The gathered information is used to improve the quality of care and minimize medication errors. Transparency is also critical in every healthcare environment. The workers should also consider various aspects such as cultural responsiveness, effectiveness, and patient safety. Healthcare practitioners must also be ready to offer patient-centered care (Morath, 2011).
Registered nurses (RNs) should possess the required skills and competencies. They should avoid distractions, collaborate to minimize errors, and focus on the best patient outcomes. Nurse Leaders (NLs) are always required to identify and address the major causes of fatigue (Kalisch & Lee, 2010). The approach will ensure the best nursing environments are created.
Effective collaboration and positive communication will support established teams. The practitioners will work tirelessly in an attempt to create healthy and safe interdisciplinary teams (Ozan et al., 2015). Nurses working as a team will solve their problems in a timely manner and engage in meaningful conversations. Such nurses will also empower one another, focus on tangible results, and address every challenge. The team members will also collaborate in order to targeted patients to get timely care.
In conclusion, nurses can use Dr. Watson’s theory to address various medical problems, focus on the best health outcomes, and form the best teams. NMs have a duty to identify and address distractions. They should also deal with fatigue and nursing shortage in every healthcare environment (Ozan et al., 2015). These initiatives should be embraced by healthcare institutions in order to create safe systems for their nurses.
Reference List
Ferguson, L., & Cioffi, J. (2013). Team nursing: experiences of nurse managers in acute care settings. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 28(4), 5-11.
Kalisch, B., & Lee, K. (2010). The impact of teamwork on missed nursing care. Nursing Outlook, 58(1), 233-241.
Lachman, V. (2012). Applying the ethics of care to your nursing practice. Medsurg Nursing, 21(2), 112-116.
Lukose, A. (2011). Developing a practice model for Watson’s theory of caring. Nursing Science Quarterly, 24(1), 27-30.
Morath, J. (2011). Nurses create a culture of patient safety: it takes more than projects. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 16(3), 1-13.
Ozan, Y., Okumus, H., & Lash, A. (2015). Implementation of Watson’s theory of human caring: a case study. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 8(1), 25-35.